Staffs have been used as a defense mechanism for centuries, long before handguns were invented. This was clearly illustrated by Friar Tuck in the Robin Hood series. Staffs have been successful as defense weapons because they keep the opponent away from physical contact and the relative size of the user does not make a great deal of difference. Staffs are securely held in both hands with the person using it in a balanced stable position.
This inventor, being a police officer, has found that an officer being in close contact with an individual in an adverse environment can be placed in a position where he may be seriously injured or be responsible for unforeseen injuries to the individual being taken into custody. Many instances have been recorded by television cameras where officers have been overzealous trying to physically subdue uncooperative individuals. Often it is seen where large unruly crowds press directly up against security personnel. In the past, the only way of holding crowds back was physical force. The best way to handle these situations is to remain calm, staying a safe distance and be in complete control of the situation. Getting too close to the individuals in these situations will cause both the security personnel, and the individual they are endeavoring to subdue, to loose control and cause panic. Too many times, misunderstandings have led to great tragedies.
A wide variety of less-lethal weapons are now being developed to control individuals in adverse environments minimizing the need of using lethal weapons such as the guns carried by police officers. A great deal of pressure is being put on police departments to keep their officers from using their handguns. The conventional high voltage self defense devices function by delivering a high voltage pulse between two electrodes spaced apart allowing the current to immobilize an individual when contact is made. These devices are currently manufactured in various forms including the traditional hand-held devices, some with electrodes inches from the hand of the operator to the compressed air models labeled “stun guns” that fire a one-time wire-attached pair of daft like electrodes, and others where the projectile carries the battery and electronic package.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,597 of Ming-Chen Lin describes an improved structure of an electric shock device that includes a handle, and a plurality of retractable rod portions. The handle has an interior accommodating therein a high voltage generator and a battery unit. The handle further has a control switch at a lower rim thereof. The retractable rod portions are arranged and assembled in order of size, and equipped with a retractable function by utilizing springs and retaining rods disposed therein. The rod portions are made of insulating materials and respectively provided with parallel positive and negative electrode plates on both sides thereof. The electrode plates nearest to the handle are connected to positive and negative terminals of the high voltage generator so as to supply the rod portions with the required high voltages. The permittivity of dielectrics on the rod portions that have different diameters causes them to be equivalent so that the conductance conditions of the rod portions are the same, and the rod portions can all generate electric arcs.
This patent describes an electric shock device to be held in one hand like a sword where the electrical contact to an individual is made by the side of the device. Although it has a telescoping feature, it does not have the length to keep unruly individuals at a safe distance, and has only one level of shocking voltage capability. It also lacks the ruggedness and durability needed in mass volume crowds where multiple contacts/jabs may be required.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,963,480 of James Byron Eccles describes a high voltage stun device, unique in the sword-like configuration of its fully retractable, yet non-injurious, “blade,” and its ability to deliver the pulse along the length of the “blade” as well as at the tip to a target at a distance far beyond arm's length. Stun batons, even retractable ones, have none of the preferred properties satisfied by the invention, including superior length of shocking surface, superior weighting and flexibility of the shocking surface, and simplicity of maintenance and repair. The “blade” of the invention is capable of expanding to a superior length that can keep a subject at a good defensive distance, yet be effective and retracted if he manages to get in close. With a moderation of the centrifugal force applied during blade deployment, the invention can be made to emulate a shorter sword, a long sword, and all lengths between. Further, the balance and dimensions of the device allow for fencing techniques to be utilized, while being portable and concealable unlike a traditional, fixed blade sword.
This patent describes a fragile sword like electric shock device also to be held and operated in one hand. Holding a device like this relies on the strength of the user's wrist alone, with no back up by the other hand. A large person may have no problem with this operation, but not all people required to use these devices may have the strength or agility to use them effectively. It also lacks the ruggedness and durability needed in mass volume crowds where multiple contacts/jabs may be required.
Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0024807 of Milan Cerovic et al. describes embodiments of an electric discharge weapon system and methods of use that are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, the weapon system may include a weapon that includes a body portion adapted for discharging a force (such as, for example, an electric discharge or an electric discharge projectile) towards a target, a handgrip coupled to the body portion, a trigger adapted for initiating the discharge of the force, and a display coupled to the body portion.
This patent describes a stun gun type of device that fires a dart like projectile with the battery and electronics incorporated into each projectile. The projectiles are designed to penetrate the skin of the individual. The appearance of a gun like device has the potential of further misunderstandings along with the ability of missing the target or hitting the individual in the eye doing permanent damage. The device also requires reloading to fire a second projectile which takes the officers attention off the individual, and diverts his attention to the reloading operation.
Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0067026 of Dennis R. Kaufman describes a stun gun of one embodiment that includes: a first dart coupled to a tether and positioned to be propelled along a first trajectory, a second dart coupled to a tether and positioned to be propelled along a second trajectory divergent to the first trajectory, and a third dart coupled to a tether and positioned to be propelled along a third trajectory substantially parallel to the first trajectory. The stun gun also includes a power source having opposing charges and an activation circuit. The activation circuit is adapted to selectively connect one of the opposing charges to the first dart and connect the other of the opposing charges to the second and third darts.
This patent describes an other stun gun type of device with dart-like projectiles connected to the device and control circuitry by tethers. This is a single shot device where the tether lines are still connected to the stun gun and can get in the way of any further activity. The only warning capable when using this type of device is verbal and each shot is full voltage.
Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0187610 of Li Su describes a cartridge for an electrical immobilization weapon for optimized effectiveness and accuracy, comprising: a housing means for accommodating first and second projectiles adapted for being spaced within a targeted portion, having a length of at least from 5 inches to 25 inches of a human body and for transmitting the electrical energy to the target; connecting means having at least one such length for interconnecting the first and second projectiles and available outside the housing means for retaining the projectiles within the said length in between thereof; means including the housing means for separating the first and second projectiles for immediately achieving a said length in between after leaving the housing means; means secured to the housing means for propelling the projectiles from the housing means for reaching the targeted portion; and means for coupling the projectiles to the electrical energy of the weapon's power supply.
This patent describes another stun gun type of device or electrical immobilization weapon with dart-like projectiles that are connected to the device and control circuitry by tethers. This is another single shot device where the tether lines are still connected to the stun gun and can get in the way of any further activity.
Thus, there is a continuing need to improve the position of security personnel when dealing with one or more people in an adverse environment. Consequently, there exists a need for an apparatus which will put those personnel at a reasonable distance from unruly people. None of the foregoing prior art teaches or suggests the particular unique features of the extendable electronic discharge staff and thus clarifies the need for further improvements in the equipment used by police officers, army personnel or security personnel.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the extendable electronic discharge staff in detail it is to be understood that the device is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The extendable electronic discharge staff is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.